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WESTMINSTER, Colo. - The man shot by a security guard in Westminster was carrying an airsoft gun that did not have an orange tip, police said Monday.

The security guard assigned to the Sunset Ridge Apartments on Sheridan Boulevard said the man pointed the gun at him at about 1:25 a.m. Saturday.

Johnny Secrest told 7NEWS his cousin, 24-year-old David Ludwig, was confronted by the security guard while peeing next to a dumpster in the complex's parking lot.

Secrest said the guard threatened to detain them and spray them with mace as he followed them back to their apartment.

When they got to their unit, Secrest said Ludwig, walked in and came back out with an airsoft gun.

That's when the guard shot Ludwig.

Police found the man wounded in the parking lot. He was transported to a local area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Secrest said they didn't know the security guard was armed.

"I will say this, it was a mistake. If anybody thinks about pulling out an airsoft gun, it's not a real gun and it'll get you killed. That was his mistake, but this security guard was overzealous and continued to harass us all the way until the end," Secrest said.

The Westminster Police would like to remind everyone it is difficult to differentiate between an airsoft gun and a real gun.

This is an ongoing investigation and the case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office later in the week, police said.

Rick Kornfeld, attorney for Sunset Ridge Apartments, released this statement about the case Monday afternoon:

"Management of Sunset Ridge Apartments is fully and actively cooperating with the Westminster Police Department in its investigation of the shooting that occurred early Saturday morning when a contract security guard confronted an armed individual. Sunset Ridge Apartments is committed to the safety of its residents."

Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.